Sweet fried plantains, Maduros. Never would you think such a delicious treat could be yielded from piece of rotting fruit, yet in defiance exists Maduros.

The word maduros translates as ripened-which is the type of plantain you will be preparing. They are identified by their yellow to blackened yellow peel, ripened similar to a regular banana.

My sister Patricia recommends feeling the plantain to see if it is soft to the touch, as the yellow to blackened yellow peel may not always indicate that the plantain will be sweet. If they are firm to the touch, you can always put them in a paper bag and let them ripen further for a few days. Don’t shy away from the almost completely blackened plantain, for if the texture is soft, it will produce a very sweet fried treat indeed. Only the firm blackened ones are true pieces of rotted fruit and completely unusable.

A ripe soft plantain will ensure that the frying process will illicit a crispy rough texture on the outside, and sweet yellow filling within. I like to fry them until they are almost black, then split them open and watch their bright yellow insides goo out.

Maduros are served as the standard side dish. I like to eat a plateful of them as snack sometimes as well.

They are very easy to make and like all fried things, should be eaten immediately after cooking. When serving as a side dish to a larger meal, it is best to allot them as the last item you will prepare.

Maduros

2-3 Ripe Plaintains

Vegetable or Canola Oil

Remove the peel of the plantains by cutting off the top part, then sliding your knife lengthwise, making an incision to reach the flesh. The peel should come off like a jacket.

Slice your plantain into oblong slices, about an inch thick.

Pour an inch of Vegetable Oil in a frying pan and heat over a medium high flame. When the oil begins to shimmer, carefully place the plantain into the pan using tongs to help minimize the splatter. You will want to leave space between each plantain during the frying process to ensure they will be crispy, so you will want to do them in small batches. Fry the plantains, turning them so they brown evenly on all sides. This can take about a minute each side.

They will be ready as soon as they are lightly browned. You can also let them get a little more blackened if you prefer. They will still be delicious.

Remove the plantains from frying pan and place on a paper towel covered plate to allow any excess oil to drain. Add your next batch to the pan and repeat until all your rounds are fried.

Serve immediately.

Buen Provecho!